Aftermath
by Halogien
Summary: Post CA:CW. SPOILERS. One-Shot. Tony receives the package with the letter and phone. He receives the hidden message and understands what needs to be done. Hurt!Tony. Slight Angst. Slight character study vibe. COMPLETE.
**Aftermath**

Post CA:CW. SPOILERS. One-Shot. Tony receives the package with the letter and phone. He receives the hidden message and understands what needs to be done. Hurt!Tony. Slight Angst. Slight character study vibe. COMPLETE.

AN: Yes, I know I should be updating my other work in progress. I want to finish all the chapters first. (Then I watched the movie and it went downhill and I had to write this.)

So a letter. That's all their friendship meant in the end. He had tried so hard for this man and all he got was a stupid letter with just his name on it and left a bitter taste in his mouth.

All he got was a letter is what stumps him.

Looking back on it, the man was more blind than he expected. He had been the one to pick up after the man and cover his bases. He had tried to save them, making it easier. God, he had tried.

Pepper left him when he had put on the suit one time too many. He had tried to change his life and company and it blew. Banner left right away, then Clint. Thor was god knows where, literally. Widow had left as well when he opened his mouth and made yet another mistake. Falcon was always for Cap. Wanda, well she, she would never side with him. She never did know about the little things he did. He always made sure that they arrived in conjunction with someone else on the scene.

Vision stayed. Tony never knew why. Maybe Vision saw something that could be redeemed or had attachment issues. Or maybe it was the fact that Dum-E needed someone to keep him company. The man hardly spoke with him other than watching him after scaring him by never using the door or even the window.

Rhodes. God, the man was the only one left. He was one that never left, willingly. Now he was free from military, he may choose to leave too. Not like anyone else has stayed for Tony being Tony.

He had tried to figure out where James Barnes laid within this whole mess. He tried to ask if he even remembered. Then Cap plucked him down. Maybe it was his fault. In his rage, he struck against the one person that had take his family one by one. Steve did not need to remind him of family like he never knew. He was the one trying to keep them together.

He was formerly part of the system. He knew how it worked. If they had listened, given him time. They would have received the information needed and the evidence before this disaster happened.

Cap never listened to him. A flaw in the mighty first Avenger. The man lived for the past. Well, he got what he wanted. Tony was now part of his past.

A letter that was all their friendship, their family was worth. The man walked away with all the chips and Tony got left with the cards. He left a letter as an apology and chose his side.

Tony still made sure that when he left that underwater prison hole that a virus would allow the systems defense to be vulnerable. Not that they would know. He wasn't worth a thanks anyways if the letter was any indication. He knew where they would go. He wasn't stupid. He sent whatever research he had to the King of Wacanda. Barnes was important to Cap and Cap was important to him. He didn't know wh-

"Tony?" Rhodes called from where he waddled. Smoother but still with a limp.

Tony's back was to him in his boss chair, as he calls it. A small glass in his hand full of amber liquid. It gave the wrong impression and he knew it by the empty decanter on the desk.

"Just tea, Teddy Bear." He called out as he looked into the abandoned grounds before him.

"Hm." Was all that was said as the hiss of the machinery made their way to him from the hall. A small comfort in this world of solitude. Machines always were there. Jarvis. . .

He heard the man pick up the letter and inspect the phone.

"The man really got an honest to god, old fashion burner phone." The chuckle in the voice reached his ears. The man was always too forgiving.

"He never left the past."

"The man never saw beyond his own nose, unless you beat him into it." A growl was detected, "the man never realized we were there for him. Neither did the others."

"We did. . ." Tony sighed.

"Yeah, we did. We were family before we added them and after too."

Tony said nothing to the statement. He knew that nothing needed to be said. He put the cup away as he turned. The former military man was leaning against the doorway with crossed legs that had those shining blue that reminded him of the artificial heart the Cap had impaled with the same shield his own dead father had made.

"So what now."

This man was his own Wilson to the Steve. The Spock to Kirk. The Watson to Sherlock. And so forth.

"We go underground. Vision may leave us still. . . the guy has his eyes set for Scarlet." He sighed as Rhodes nodded once. "We need to suit up and battle for our ground." Tony firmly gave. He stood as Rhodes straightened up. A determined gleam was shared.

"Time to build a new foundation?" The other man smiled.

Tony knew that the man had truly always been there from his alcoholism, to his murdering, to his salvation, and his stumbling to find ground on shaken sand.

"Yes." Tony stood and folded the letter into his suit. He should burn it, but he couldn't. Not now. Not yet.

"So what first, Mr. Stank?"

An innocent face was given when the deadpan was given in response to the name.

"Really, platypus?" Tony pouted.

"I told I was never letting go."

"Well, if you insist. We need to get some suits. I can give you something not tainted with Hammer now." The man began to throw blue lines on the wall.

"First, I need to contact a little spider about working for me."

"The kid is not bad after you ignore all the talking." Rhodes smiled after he manipulated things he had hated on his old suit. Afterall, spending time around Tony enough makes you learn things. Tony knew this and gave him more space and sent ideas.

"We will mold him into being of good have him get his GED and snatch him" Tony responded as he inspected the phone given to him through mail with the letter.

Rhodes nodded as he sent some things that were beyond him back to Tony.

"Replacing Pepper already?" Rhodes smirked as he saw the pause in Tony.

"Hmm. Good idea. That would be a nice cover for the boy. He lives in a hell hole." Tony smiled as he flipped open the phone and found the only number in the phone. He stared for a bit.

[Widow will know how to reach me. I'm done.]

[Bye Steve.]

He sent off the text and handed the phone to Rhodes who read it.

The man then tossed the phone to the wall and broke it to pieces. He almost fell over from unbalance before Tony grabbed his elbow and brought him back. Somehow both took a dead breath together,

"I think I also need to speak to the master one-eyed spy about some training. Extremis can only do so much as you know." Tony grouched as he thought of the trouble he was getting himself into.

Extremis had only done so much for him as his heart was that of a twenty year old and damage reversed (his skin not so much, but beggars can't be choosers). For Rhodes, it allowed the man to be able to speak, and move, and gain some movement in the legs.

"F.R.I.D.A.Y. time to open a new project. Tell Pepper that I am cancelling this time. No need for her to not show because I am not there. If she asks, tell her I will be unavailable for a year. I need to be able to handle everything."

"Tell her I am learning some tricks from some monks in the himalayas."

And so the day went.

Vision did not leave. Rhodes did not leave. They left together and that was okay.

"You ready, Mr. Stank?"

"Shut up, Rhodes."


End file.
